Practice Makes Perfect… Or Not
A/n: weather witch is suffering from writers block so now I'm writing this chapter. She should be better soon. I'm home sick with strep throat ugh. Oh well, this means more time to write.
Disclaimer: the thing about spleens and kidneys in the previous chapter, belonged to my friend Lauren and this also contains quotes from the movie A Night's Tale
Fred and George helped Ashleigh and Kelly up and helped them back to Gryffendor tower where they lay down on the puffy couches. Then Fred and George sat down next to them and asked what happened. Kelly and Ashleigh began to explain what happened to Fred and George who when they got to the part when Malfoy talked about kidneys, spleens, and some shoving that they made them stop.
"I wonder how many ways there are to kill a Slytherin. Maybe there's a book on it," Fred said.
"Don't get any ideas Ashleigh," Kelly replied.
"You have to give him points for creative insults though," George answered.
Ashleigh meanwhile was staring intently out the window at the lake down below where Malfoy was yelling incoherently to Crabbe and Goyle. Then she saw Vladimir walk up to Draco and they began to walk inside.
"Hey Ashleigh, Ashleigh, Ashleigh," yelled Fred.
"Welcome back to earth," George said as Ashleigh turned around to face them.
"Glad to be back," Ashleigh replied.
"How did you find us," Kelly asked.
"Actually we were looking for Ashleigh," George said.
"Yeah, Hagrid wanted to know if he could use her cheetah for a care of magical creatures classes next week," Fred finished.
"Oh, well sure he can," Ashleigh replied. "Speaking of my cheetah I need to go get her and take her for a run."
"o.k. See ya ash. You sure your O.K.," Fred said.
"Yes and don't call me Ash again unless you want to experience, pain, lots of pain," and with that Ashleigh left grabbing her red cloak and flinging it on as she swept out of the portrait hole.
"You know she and Malfoy would make a good couple," George said.
"Yep, they've definitely got that sweeping out of the room thing down pat," Fred answered.
"That's just sick," Kelly said as she left the common room for the library.
Ashleigh headed out the front doors and past the lake, past Hagrid's hut and down past the greenhouses one two and three, and to the new Hogwarts menagerie where they kept all of the animals for care of magical creatures class. Ashleigh had been allowed to keep her cheetah in the menagerie. As she reached the doors she heard someone yelling her name, so she turned around to face him and saw Harry Potter running towards her with his black cloak billowing behind him.
"Hey Ashleigh," Harry said as he ran up to her and stopped in front of her panting, "IneedtoknowifyouhaveabroomornotforQuidditchandifyoudon'tyouneedtocomewithmesowecanorderit."
"Wait slow down a second, I didn't catch a word of that. Now say it again and slow down and take your time."
"I can't take my time. I need to know now so we can order your broom and get it here by the match next week."
"Harry, take a break. You're running on overtime. Why don't you come and ride with me."
"Your kidding right. I am not riding a cheetah."
"What, is the great and wonderful Harry potter scared to ride a little kitty."
"That thing is not little. It's one of the great wonders of Africa."
"Whatever National Geographic man. Listen it's house bred and it won't bite you."
"Your sure."
"Positive."
"O.K. But you have to go first."
"No, we'll go together."
"What!!!"
"Oh, I knew what you were thinking. You were thinking that as soon as I got on this cheetah that you would make a break for it."
"You know your better at mind reading than professor Trelawny."
"From what I here that isn't much."
"No your right."
"Well come on," Ashleigh said as she motioned to the cheetah.
She climbed on top of the cheetah and motioned for Harry to climb on behind her. He did very hesitantly.
"Just so you know his name is Merlin and be careful not to kick him in the ribs, it causes him to hit his top speed of 70 mph."
"Oh. O.K."
"Lets go then."
Ashleigh squeezed Merlin gently and he started off at a relaxed trot. Harry grabbed on for dear life and squeezed Merlin around the ribs, which caused Merlin to speed up to his top speed.
"You idiot, damn it. I told you not to squeeze him around the ribs, he hasn't gone through his paces yet."
"Screw his paces, just make him stop."
"I can't."
"Why not? He's your freaking pet."
"He has been trained to go for five minutes at this speed so I can't stop him."
"What!!!! You can't stop him."
"NO."
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH," they both screamed, as they saw the lake looming up ahead of them, and the cheetah showed no sign of stopping. Then as they approached the waters edge the cheetah suddenly stopped at the edge of the lake and they where flung forward into the water.
"I'm wet," Ashleigh yelled.
"Well what do you think I am dry?" With that remark Ashleigh persisted to push Harry under water again and climbed out of the lake and when she got to the shore she felt a hand on her ankle and a yank and she was pulled under water again to the sound of Harry's laughing. Harry scrambled up next to her and they climbed out of the water hanging on to each other and laughing and began to lead the cheetah back to the menagerie.
"You know what. I am so going to get you for this when practice starts," Ashleigh said.
"Hey you wanted me to ride."
"Whatever. Hey Harry I'm going back to the castle. Thanks for offering to put Merlin up for me," and with that Ashleigh swept around and Harry was splashed with water from her cloak.
"I hate that kid," Harry grumbled. "Come on Merlin lets go."
Kelly headed for the library and browsed around looking for books on basic transfiguration for her extra credit project for professor McGonagall. She found many books on it and settled them on her arms in a way that she could see past them and she made her way back to Gryffendor tower. After about twenty minutes of reading Ashleigh walked in dripping wet, her boots making a squeaking sound on the ground.
"What happened to you," Kelly asked.
"Don't ask."
"Well I'm asking so spill."
"Don't you know the meaning of don't ask?"
"No."
"O.K. Fine."
Ashleigh persisted to tell Kelly what happened to her, and when she got to the part when they fell in the lake she busted out laughing and fell off the couch.
"It's not funny."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't, he ruined my cloak." Ashleigh said as she brandished the cloak in front of Kelly as Oliver Wood walked in.
"Hi Kelly, Ashleigh."
"Hi Oliver," they replied. Oliver made his way up the steps towards his dormitory, then turned around and asked, "Hey Ashleigh, why are you all wet?"
With that Kelly once again dissolved into fits of laughter.
"Long story. The only thing that anyone needs to no about it is that my favorite cloak was ruined," Ashleigh replied dejectedly as she sat down on the couch.
"Let me see it," Oliver said. Ashleigh handed him the cloak and he waived his wand at it and said "Fabricus Repairo." He handed it back to her good as knew, possible better because now it had gold braid trim.
"Thank you."
"No problem." Then Oliver turned around and went up into his dormitory.
"He's nice," Ashleigh told Kelly.
"Brilliant deduction Ashleigh."
"I wish he was our coach instead of Harry."
"Your just mad because Harry got you all wet."
"I am not. I'm mad because we have practice tomorrow before breakfast and after dinner."
"WHAT!!!"
"Yes."
"he's nuts."
"Insane."
"Crazy."
"He's a fanatic."
"Completely and totally out of his mind."
"What should we do?"
"I recommend going to bed early," Harry said as he walked into the room.
"I recommend you leaving our sight as soon as possible before we clobber you," Ashleigh said.
"Ashleigh violence is a negative emotion," Kelly said.
"Unless that emotion is unleashed on him," Ashleigh yelled.
"Your right. Lets get him." Kelly and Ashleigh lunged at Harry and chased him out of the common room and into the great hall where dinner was about to commence.
"Mr. Potter, Miss. Granger, Miss. Weasley, so nice for you to join us. Please take your seats," Dumbledore said.
"Spectacular entrance guys."
"Shut up Ron and eat your vegetables."
"Yes mommy dearest."
"Don't call me that Ronnikens."
"Hey Ashleigh you haven't eaten any vegetables yet," Ron said as he heaped some on her plate. "You neither Kelly."
"Ugh Ron go away," they said as they got up from the table and dumped their vegetables on his head.
The two girls went upstairs and prepared to begin their homework and go to bed.
The Next Morning at Which Time it is to Early to be Happy… Unless You're Harry
The pale dawn light streamed through the crack in between the drapes, and an unknown visitor entered the first year girls dormitory dressed in Quidditch robes of red. The unknown visitor flicked his wand and uttered some words and all the candles lit causing the girls to grumble and complain. The unknown visitor took off his hood and his face was illuminated in the light and he turned out to be Harry Potter. "Hello girls. Good morning," he said as he flung open the shades to reveal the sunrise.
"What time is it," Ashleigh asked.
"4:30," Harry replied.
"That is way earlier than I get up so good night Harry," Ashleigh replied.
The three C's woke up at that minute, and sat up at the same time.
"Harry Potter's in our room!!! GET OUT," they yelled.
"It's time for practice."
"We're in our pajamas," the C's replied.
"I'm not looking."
"Ugh Harry go away and we'll be down as soon as we have something to eat," Kelly told him.
"There's a wonderful buffet breakfast at the Quidditch field waiting for you, but if you take to long it'll be cold."
"Food. He said food. Harry get out we have to change and then eat," Ashleigh yelled as she jumped out of bed at the mention of food and pushed him out the door and ran to her dresser where she grabbed her Quidditch robes and flung them on and grabbed her broom, a firebolt, the same as Kelly's and she ran out the room and past Harry. Kelly was right behind her. Cassie grabbed candy, who was fussing with her makeup telling her she wouldn't need it and the three C's ran out five minutes after Kelly who was still pinning up her hair. Ashleigh reached the Quidditch field first because she hand sprinted past Harry in her hurry to get to the food and Kelly wasn't far behind. Ashleigh got to the food and lunged for a strawberry Danish but hit something like a force field. Kelly ran smack into Ashleigh knocking her into the force field again. Kelly climbed off her and they both looked at the table.
"What did he do? He promised us food," Ashleigh whined as she took out her wand to put her robes on the right way.
"I think he put a force field around it like in Independence Day," Kelly replied as she tried once again to put her hair up.
"You girls are so funny. I told you there was breakfast waiting for you on the field. I didn't tell you when you could have it." Harry laughed. "Nice brooms," he added as a side thought.
"Well when will we get it," the three C's chorused.
"When practice is over."
"But I can't wait that long," Ashleigh whined.
"Deal with it. Now onto your brooms, we're going to have a practice game, so come on now, don't dally."
"But we're hungry," the three C's whined.
"I don't care. Practice first, food later," Harry yelled.
The girls and the rest of the team mumbled and grumbled as they climbed onto their brooms and kicked off into the air. Cassie taking the quaffle and throwing it to candy, who threw it to Christy, who threw it at Harry, who was running away from the bludgers that the beaters where hitting at him. Kelly had fallen asleep upside down hanging off her broom and Ashleigh had summoned a full course meal to her from the kitchens which she had found the previous night since she left dinner early. Practice went on like this for some time until it was time for breakfast at which time the team landed and walked off back toward the castle leaving Harry to catch the balls and put them away. Kelly and the three C's along with the beaters went off to breakfast, and Ashleigh who had already eaten went back to Gryffendor tower to go back to sleep till her first class, because she managed to finish her homework and start on an extra credit assignment the night before.
Kelly and Ashleigh met up outside Gryffendor tower and headed off to their first class, Transfiguration. Harry met up with Hermione and Ron in the Gryffendor tower because their first class wasn't for another hour.
"So how did practice go," Ron asked.
"Yeah Harry tell us about it," Hermione replied.
"It was horrible. Hermione your sister fell asleep, and Ron I have never seen someone so obsessed with breakfast as your sister is. She conjured up a full course meal. And the three C's Cassie, Candy, and Christy, they where throwing the quaffle at my head the whole time. Then those two beaters kept constantly hitting the bludger at me. I've got bruises all over me and I swear I have some minor memory loss. All in all practice was horrible."
"Well Harry I guess you've learned your lesson," Hermione replied.
"What's that?"
"Never have an early morning practice," Ron replied.
"Well when can I have it then? My intentions where good, I remember when I was a first year and how hard it was to have those after school practices and do my homework."
"Harry you never did your homework when you had practice. You just put it off until the weekend," Ron replied.
"Exactly and I was never able to have any fun on the weekend as a result."
"You know you have sick and twisted logic," Hermione said. "come on we have potions." So Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed off to potions class.